Bulldogs roll to win

Sunday

Sep 15, 2013 at 12:01 AM

MATTAPOISETT — Consider the Old Rochester football team a work in progress.

DEREK VITAL

MATTAPOISETT — Consider the Old Rochester football team a work in progress.

The Bulldogs routed Case 35-6 at home Saturday night in their South Coast Conference opener, improving to 2-0. They rolled up 367 yards of total offense, including 279 on the ground. A few defensive breakdowns allowed the Cardinals to break off runs of 73 and 40 yards and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty thwarted a promising drive at the start of the second half.

Head coach Henry Quinlan was pleased with the outcome but feels his team has a ways to go if they hope to compete for a league title.

"It was a good team win," said Quinlan. "We have a goal in mind and we have to get better to achieve that goal."

The Bulldogs got on the board first in the final minute of the first quarter. Senior quarterback Nolan Bergeron scored from four yards out, capping a six play, 57 yard drive. The big play of the series came when Nolan Bergeron connected with wideout Alex Aruri for a 33-yard pass completion. Haydon Bergeron's extra point kick gave ORR a 7-0 lead.

The Bulldogs made it 14-0 when Raekwon Phillips burst off right tackle and found paydirt from 23 yards out. Haydon Bergeron split the uprights with the ensuing kick, increasing the ORR advantage to 14-0 midway through the second quarter.

The Cardinals climbed right back into it when senior running back Nick DeNardo took a handoff from fellow running back Phoenix Boie and bolted 73 yards down the sideline for a touchdown. Quarterback Felipe Pires was stopped short on his two-point conversion rush attempt, leaving the score 14-6.

ORR gave itself some breathing room by coming up with a touchdown in the waning seconds of the first half. Nolan Bergeron rolled left, threw across his body and fired a strike to Aruri in the back corner of the end zone. Haydon Bergeron's kick gave the Bulldogs a 21-6 lead.

"That score gave us a boost," said Quinlan. "It gave us some separation."

The Bulldogs added a pair of insurance scores in the second half, while keeping the Cardinals out of the end zone. Sophomore running back Darien Dumond scored from 10 yards out in the final minute of the third quarter and Phillips added a 12-yard touchdown with seven minutes left to play. For the game, Dumond finished with 99 yards on 15 carries and Phillips contributed 78 yards on four carries.

"We were happy with the way we ran the ball, but we're not close to where we can be," said Quinlan.

NOTES: The Bulldogs defense limited Case to 196 yards of total offense, 142 of which came on three plays- a pair of long runs by DeNardo and a 29-yard pass completion from Pires to DeNardo.

"Case played really hard tonight," said Quinlan. "They gave us a problem with one play, one scheme which kept them in the game. I think we were a better football team but they played hard."

MENTAL ERRORS CONTINUE TO PLAGUE ORR: Quinlan was hoping for a long drive to start the second half resulting in a touchdown. He did not get his wish when the ORR drive stalled following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. "That's something that has been haunting this team for three or four years is making dumb mistakes," said Quinlan.

SOUTHCOASTVARSITY.COM MVP: Dumond, who hauled in a pair of passes for 31 yards in addition to his 99 yards on the ground and a score.